Schizoaffective disorder
Schizoaffective disorder

Contents

What is Schizoaffective Disorder Treatment Center?

Schizoaffective disorder is a mental health condition that combines the symptoms of schizophrenia and those of a mood disorder, such as depression or bipolar disorder. Symptoms typically include hallucinations and delusions, depressive episodes, and periods of mania.

If you’re suffering with schizoaffective disorder, your symptoms may occur simultaneously, at different times, or run in cycles.

The good news is that while schizoaffective disorder is serious and can interfere substantially with your daily life, its symptoms can be managed through treatment.

Patients who receive a proper diagnosis and treatment can live healthy and full lives.

Types of Schizoaffective Disorder

Although schizoaffective disorder may run a unique course in each person, there are two types of schizoaffective disorder, depending upon which mood disorder is co-occurring: a depressive type, which includes depressive episodes, and a bipolar type, which includes both the lows of depressive and the highs of manic episodes.

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Depressive episodes

are experienced as periods of extremely low energy, feelings of hopelessness, and an inability to carry on everyday routines and tasks.

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Manic episodes

are experienced as periods of increased energy, restlessness, agitation, irritability, and perhaps even reckless decision making and behavior.

The Effects and Life Impact of
Schizoaffective Disorder

The Effects and Life Impact of Schizoaffective Disorder

The psychosis and mood disorder symptoms associated with schizoaffective disorder can make life very difficult for sufferers, causing problems at home, school, work, and in everyday routines and interactions.

Difficulties thinking and concentrating, inappropriate emotional responses to stimuli, erratic speech and behavior are common. Sufferers are also at a higher risk of substance abuse and suicide.

If you or someone you love is struggling, be encouraged.
With proper treatment, schizoaffective disorder symptoms
can be managed, and you can live a healthy, full and
productive life. Let us help you discover life beyond
schizoaffective disorder’s grip.

If you or someone you love is struggling, be encouraged. With proper treatment, schizoaffective disorder symptoms can be managed, and you can live a healthy, full and productive life. Let us help you discover life beyond schizoaffective disorder’s grip.

What Causes Schizoaffective Disorder?

A specific cause or causes of schizoaffective disorder have not been identified. Studies suggest several factors may contribute, such as:

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Genetics

Schizoaffective disorder, like several other mental health disorders, tends to run in families. Although it is not a given, people who have first-degree relatives diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder appear to be at a greater risk to develop schizoaffective disorder.

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Environment

Environmental factors, in chorus with heredity and other factors may increase the risks of developing schizoaffective disorder. People who have experienced early stressors, such as the loss of a parent or abuse, are at a greater risk to develop any mental health disorder.

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Substance abuse

There is a link between the use of certain hallucinogenic drugs, such as LSD, and the diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder. It is not understood if this relationship is causal, or if individuals who have schizoaffective disorder are more likely to use this type of drug. It is established that individuals who have schizoaffective disorder are prone to the development of substance use disorders.

Symptoms of Schizoaffective Disorder

Symptoms of schizoaffective disorder can vary greatly, case by case. Symptoms include:

  • paranoid thoughts
  • delusions
  • hallucinations
  • confusion
  • disorganized thoughts or behaviors
  • catatonia, which is an inability to move normally
  • speaking too quickly
  • depression or irritability
  • hyperactive or manic mood
  • difficulty concentrating
  • changes in appetite
  • thoughts of suicide
  • poor personal hygiene
  • trouble sleeping
  • social isolation

Patients suffering schizoaffective disorder often develop a number of functional issues, including difficulty holding down a job and maintaining relationships.

They will often isolate themselves and have very few friends.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor or a
mental health professional immediately. A proper diagnosis and course
of treatment are vitally important. At Sanctuary Clinics treatment center, our team of
licensed and experienced professionals can help you get a grip on your
schizoaffective disorder … before it gets its grip on you. Call NOW!

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional immediately. A proper diagnosis and course of treatment are vitally important. At Sanctuary Clinics, our team of licensed and experienced professionals can help you get a grip on your schizoaffective disorder … before it gets its grip on you. Call NOW!

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Diagnosis of Schizoaffective Disorder

  • Schizoaffective disorder is often first diagnosed in late adolescence or early adulthood.
  • Typically, those who are diagnosed experienced hallucinations and delusions before they began to experience symptoms of depression or mania as well.
  • There are no formal medical or biological tests which diagnose schizoaffective disorder.
  • Rather, a diagnosis is reached through a full medical and psychiatric history and schedule of symptoms, sometimes aided by ancillary tests and inventories.

What is the Treatment for
Schizoaffective Disorder?

What is the Treatment for Schizoaffective Disorder?

Effective treatment of schizoaffective disorder typically includes a balance of appropriate medications, psychotherapy, and education.

  • Appropriate medications are prescribed and administered relative to your symptom presentation. These may include a mood stabilizer for mania, antidepressant medications for depression, and antipsychotic drugs for the hallucinations and delusions that often occur in the disorder.
  • Psychotherapy can be useful in helping you learn strategies for adjustment, assisting in the treatment of both your depressive and psychotic symptoms and helping you in dealing with issues which can exacerbate your symptoms.
  • Education assists you to better identify the conditions that signal the approach of certain of your symptoms, such as depression, mania, or psychotic symptoms. You will learn skills which can help you adhere to and succeed in your treatment.

How Do Medications Treat
Schizoaffective Disorder?

How Do Medications Treat Schizoaffective Disorder?

Medications, prescribed, administered, and overseen by medical and mental health professionals address the disruptive symptoms of your illness—antidepressants to address depression symptoms, mood-stabilizing medications to regulate manic symptoms, and antipsychotic medications to address hallucinations and delusions.

These medications do not cure the illness, they serve to mitigate symptoms, allowing you to gain traction through the balance of medication, therapy, and education to gain control of the symptoms and their grip on your life.

How Does Psychotherapy Treat
Schizoaffective Disorder?

How Does Psychotherapy Treat Schizoaffective Disorder?

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Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, helps people with a variety of mental illnesses to either eliminate or learn to control troubling symptoms, allowing them to function more effectively in life.

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With schizoaffective disorder, it can help you better understand your condition and manage your symptoms.

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There are different forms of psychotherapy, the most effective with schizoaffective disorder is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT addresses the way you think, your patterns of behavior, and your responses to stimuli, including how you cope with your symptoms.

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CBT aims to help you change your own problematic behavior, thoughts, and coping mechanisms.

Your psychotherapy sessions will follow an overall treatment plan
unique to your needs, focusing on your life, difficulties, relationships,
and coping strategies across the scope of your experience. As such,
other forms of therapy may be included, family therapy, peer-support
and integrated care for co-occurring conditions.

Your psychotherapy sessions will follow an overall treatment plan unique to your needs, focusing on your life, difficulties, relationships, and coping strategies across the scope of your experience. As such, other forms of therapy may be included, family therapy, peer-support and integrated care for co-occurring conditions.

How Does Education Treat
Schizoaffective Disorder?

How Does Education Treat Schizoaffective Disorder?

Schizoaffective disorder is often misunderstood, not only by those suffering but also their loved ones.

Education about schizoaffective disorder helps you not only understand what you’re dealing with, but also helps you recognize the importance of each component of your treatment plan.

Education will help your loved ones to understand your illness and how best to participate in and support you in your treatment.

While Schizoaffective Disorder is serious and can interfere substantially with
your daily life, with proper treatment your life can and will improve.
Let us help you. Call NOW!

While Schizoaffective Disorder is serious and can interfere substantially with your daily life, with proper treatment your life can and will improve. Let us help you. Call NOW!

Schizoaffective Disorder Treatment Center FAQ

What makes Sanctuary Clinic Schizoaffective Disorder treatment center

different and more effective than other programs?

1

What is schizoaffective disorder?

Schizoaffective disorder is a mental health condition which combines the symptoms of schizophrenia and those of a mood disorder, such as depression or bipolar disorder.

2

How common is schizoaffective disorder?

Schizoaffective disorder is relatively rare. Research estimates that 3 in every 1000 people (0.3%) will develop schizoaffective disorder in their lifetime.

3

How is schizoaffective disorder diagnosed?

There are no formal medical or biological tests which diagnose schizoaffective disorder. Rather, a diagnosis is reached through a full medical and psychiatric history and schedule of symptoms, sometimes aided by ancillary tests and inventories.

4

Is schizoaffective disorder treatable?

While schizoaffective disorder is serious and can interfere substantially with your daily life, its symptoms can be managed through treatment. Patients who receive a proper diagnosis and treatment can live healthy and full lives.

5

How is schizoaffective disorder treated?

Effective treatment of schizoaffective disorder typically includes a balance of appropriate medications, psychotherapy, and education.

6

Are There Schizoaffective Disorder Treatment Centers?

Schizoaffective disorder residential treatment programs exist across the country.

The best treatment programs provide patients with the medication, therapy, and support they need in recovery and the tools needed to succeed after active treatment has stopped.

We are here to help! CALL (850) 935-3637